Weaving, knitting and felting of fibers, yarns and tow may produce fabrics. The fabric's properties depend on the properties of the fibers, yarn or tow and how they are joined together to form a fabric. Additionally, the physical properties of the fiber, yarn or tow greatly affect the fabric's properties. Illustratively, wool fibers are used to keep a person warm in the winter; asbestos fibers are used as a flame retardant; steel fibers are used for strength whereas gold fibers are used for conducting electricity.
Combining fibers, yarns or tow does not always result in a fabric that possesses a useful set of properties for a wide range of applications. For example, antiballistic fabrics, such as Kevlar, are sensitive to heat. Although adding flame retardant fibers of asbestos may provide limited support, Kevlar fabrics would not work optimally if exposed to continuous heat as well as to ballistic projectiles. Ideally, compatible fibers, yarns or tow having unique mechanical, thermal, electrical and optical properties would be woven, knitted or felted into fabrics that demonstrate all the desired properties within the fabric.
In addition to the limited range of applications, fabric quality depends on the ability to combine fabrics with one another. The material structure and size of the fibers and resulting yarns may inhibit the range of application of a certain fabric. Illustratively, fabrics that block entry of pathenogenic biological materials require that the consistent yarns be interwoven tightly to prevent any gaps between one another. The thickness of individual fibers alone could allow significant gaps within each yarn defined by those fibers. Generally, there does not exist a nanoscale fiber (1×10−9 meters) that provides significant strength and ductility so as to define a fabric. A need exists to improve certain properties (such as the antiballistic properties or thermal and electrical conductivity) of existing fabrics without degrading the fabric's original properties.